


Bleeding

by SeverinadeStrango



Category: Hornblower (TV), Hornblower - C. S. Forester
Genre: Internal Monologue, M/M, Prompt Fill, Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 17:43:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12562752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeverinadeStrango/pseuds/SeverinadeStrango
Summary: Bush nearly dies during the Spanish revolt on the Renown.  But in the moment, he's okay with that.





	Bleeding

**Author's Note:**

> An entry for Day 29 of Tumblr user horrificmemes' "31 Horrific Days v2" challenge. If you enjoy my writing, more of it can be found on my own Tumblr page - the url of which is the same as my username here.

Bush was cold.

He hadn’t imagined that this was what it would feel like to bleed out, to bleed to death, but here he was, lying on the deck of the _Renown_ among the bodies of the fallen men, and the fallen rebels as well. He couldn’t say that he hadn’t expected it, but it had still taken the crew by surprise nevertheless, and in the end? In the end, Buckland had been an incompetent acting-Captain, and the other Lieutenants had tried their utmost to subdue the fighting.

They’d apparently succeeded, and it was credited to Hornblower, to nobody’s surprise – the man was a natural genius in his position if Bush had ever seen one, and he was only glad that Hornblower was still _alive,_ that he was (as it seemed) unhurt. 

Bush closed his eyes.

And then there were hands framing his face, pulling his head upwards – 

Can you hear me, can you hear me – get the surgeon! Soft hands, long, delicate fingers resting alongside the line of his jaw and Bush looked up, part of him already _knowing_ who he was going to see but the sight of Hornblower’s thin, angular face shocked him nonetheless. Hornblower had hated him, he had been quite sure, when Bush had first come aboard, and yet here he was, yelling something incomprehensible to Bush, telling him to stay alive, most likely. 

Hornblower was _afraid_ to lose him. 

It was terrible to see Hornblower in this state, to see him distressed – for some reason, Bush knew that had he any more energy and strength he would have been furious at whatever the cause of it was (ironically, it was Bush himself). But he wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else.

He turned his head to the side and pressed his cheek to the scratchy, bloodstained fabric of Hornblower’s uniform. He knew Horatio was unharmed, he could see him here, alive and well. And if he were to die here, like this? 

For some strange reason, that would be okay.


End file.
